The present invention relates to an integrated controller for a vehicle having a contact preventive device for automatically preventing a vehicle from coming in contact with an obstacle and a device for changing the suspension or steering characteristic of the vehicle.
By way of example, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2565/1964 and 5668/1964 have disclosed a contact preventive device for a vehicle in which a distance between a vehicle and a forward obstacle and a relative speed are continuously detected by means of a radar device or the like, it is decided whether there is a possibility of contact based on the distance and relative speed thus detected, and an actuator is operated to automatically brake each wheel for contact prevention if it is decided that there is the possibility of contact. There has also been known a contact preventive device for a vehicle in which wheels are automatically steered to prevent contact if it is decided that there is the possibility of contact (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 24008/1989).
Conventionally, a vehicle has been provided with various devices which can change a suspension or steering characteristic such as an active suspension device (ACS device), an antiskid braking device (ABS device), a four wheel steering device (4WS device) and the like. The ACS device feeds and discharges a fluid to and from a cylinder provided between a body and each wheel so that the suspension characteristic can be changed.
When automatic braking or automatic steering is performed in the contact preventive device, the vehicle may easily be unstable. Consequently, it is desired that a device such as an ACS device which can change the suspension or steering characteristic is provided together with the contact preventive device. In this case, however, the attitude of the vehicle cannot fully be stabilized if the suspension characteristic or the like is changed and controlled in consideration of the behavior of the vehicle (the change of attitude) caused by automatic braking or automatic steering in the ACS device or the like.